Love In Every Language
by Airiviel
Summary: Ficlet. SLASH. Aragorn loves Arwen dearly...but not the way he used to. Now, his heart belongs to another elf.


**Title:** Love in Every Language  
**Author name:** Airiviel  
**Author email:** airiviel@hotmail.com  
**Author's fanfiction or fanart homepage URL:** www.airiviel.cjb.net   
**Category:** Romance   
**Keywords:** Aragorn, Legolas, Slash, Arwen, Evenstar  
**Pairings:** Aragorn/Legolas  
**Rating:** R  
**Spoilers**: The Fellowship of the Ring   
**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters, situations, places, and related terms that are the sole property of J.R.R. Tolkien's estate. No profit is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Love In Every Language 

            _ "This is no mere Ranger!  He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn.  You owe him your allegiance!"_

            The elf's words rang in his head.  Aragorn stood leaning against the elegant parapet on a balcony that overlooked a beautiful waterfall.  The elves of long ago had named it Mirhdrien, which meant "blue" in the old Elvish tongue.  But that language had been forgotten, and now any elf that could speak just a little bit of it was treasured.

            The son of Arathorn gazed at the beautiful golden sky.  The sun was setting, and ripples of oranges and pinks skipped around the stones in the gentle water.  The meeting that day had been...interesting.  And now the poor young hobbit was going to take the ring to Mordor.  Aragorn pitied him, for his young friend could not possibly have known what would await him when he began his journey.  Aragorn had immediately offered his sword and protection, for he knew Frodo would need it dearly.

            And when Boromir had been disrespectful toward him, Legolas had jumped to his defense.  _"This is no mere Ranger!  He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn.  You owe him your allegiance!"_

            The words echoed in his ears again, causing his blood to pound faster, his heart threatening to burst from his ribs.  He swallowed.

            _ "Why do you fear the past?"_ Arwen had later asked him.  _"You are Isildur's Heir, not Isildur himself.  You are not bound to his fate."_

            Aragorn had wanted to believe her, oh how he had wanted so _badly_ to believe her.

            _ "The same blood flows in my veins.  The same weakness,"_ he had forced himself to reply.

            _ "Your time will come,"_ she had replied gently.  _"You will face the same evil.  And you will defeat it.  A si i-Dhúath ú-othor. Ù or le a ú or nin."_  Her elvish words had warmed him.  _The shadow does not hold sway yet.  Not over you, and not over me._

            And then she had led him into the beautiful garden.

            _ "Renech i lú i erui govannem?"_ she had asked him.  _Do you remember when we first met?_

            _ "Nauthannen i ned Ôl reniannen,"_ he had replied truthfully.  _I thought I had strayed into a dream._

            _ "Gwennin in enniath. Ù-'arnech in naeth i si celich,"_ she had said sadly.  _Long years have passed.  You did not wear the troubles you carry now. "Renech i beth i pennen?" _she had asked him, her eyes shining.  _Do you remember what I told you?_

            Aragorn had replied faintly, _"You said you'd bind yourself to me, foresaking the immortal life of your people."_  And with these words his heart had grown heavy.

            She had locked her eyes in his, gazing at him with what he recognized to be the strongest love.  _"And to that I hold.  I would rather share one lifetime with you, than face all the ages of this world alone."_  And she had pressed something cold into his palm.  Aragorn had looked down to see the Evenstar, her most precious and beloved jewel.  _"I choose a mortal life."_

            _ "You cannot give me this," _he had said, his voice breaking.  He could not accept such a gift.  But oh, how he loved her.__

            _ "It is mine to give to whom I will," _she had said, smiling._  "Like my heart."_

            And then she had kissed him.  And he had automatically responded, melting into the kiss.  Oh, how he dearly, dearly loved her.  But the kiss...it had not caused him to tremble with passion the way it once did.

            He loved her very much, and he knew he did.  But there were many different kinds of love, and a man's heart can change from one kind of love to another.  But it pained him so to know that he no longer loved Arwen the way he once had.  She was like his sister now, and surely it was sinful to kiss one's sister.  But Aragorn could not break her heart.  He could not bring himself to tell her that he was deeply in love with someone else.  He could not bring himself to tell her that the love he had once felt for her as her partner had now become a completely platonic love.  And now she had given him the Evenstar.  The gift only pained him more.

            A tear found its way out of the corner of his eye and fell onto the back of his hand.  A pale hand with slender fingers reached around from behind him, and a thumb gently brushed away the teardrop.  Aragorn closed his eyes, knowing immediately from the touch who the hand belonged to.  He turned.

             "Legolas," he said very softly.

             "I would have knowledge of your thoughts, Aragorn," the elf said gently.  "Please, tell me."

            Aragorn closed his eyes.  Another tear rolled down his cheek.  Legolas moved his hand to Aragorn's face, and with his knuckles he brushed away the tear.  His blue eyes were sincere and anxious.  "Please, Aragorn."

            The son of Arathorn turned back to the setting sun.  The sky was now crimson, and up above the deep purple of the night was beginning to move in.  He inhaled deeply, the crisp air filling his lungs with relief and calming him.  "I do not love her as I did long ago," he whispered.

            Legolas was silent for a moment.  Then, he said very quietly, his voice wavering slightly, "Have you spoken with her of this?"

            He did not reply.  The elf moved around him to his other side and gently turned over Aragorn's clenched fist.  Legolas slowly uncurled the human's fingers.  Aragorn closed his eyes.  In his open palm was the Evenstar.

             "Then you have not," Legolas said in a low and gentle voice.

            Aragorn shook his head.  "I _cannot_," he said, his hoarse voice cracking.

             "May I ask...why?" the elf's voice was barely audible.

            Aragorn drew a deep breath.  Then, he replied in a distant voice, "I am in love with someone else."

            Legolas was silent, and for several moments, Aragorn was fearful.

             "Why did you not tell me before?" his voice was sad, and although the question was reproachful, his voice did not hold any hint of a chiding tone.  "Who is it?  Another human?"  Aragorn did not hear the melancholy tint in the elf's voice.

             "No," Aragorn shook his head.  He looked down.  "An elf."

             "Would you share with me who it is?" asked Legolas after a minute of silence.

            Aragorn turned around and gazed into the beautiful blue eyes.  "Have you not guessed already?" he whispered.

            Legolas shook his head slowly.

             "My heart has been captured," whispered Aragorn, "...by you."

            And before Legolas had had time to comprehend his words, Aragorn kissed him.

            The elf was taken aback by this, but soon he overcame his surprise and he returned the kiss fiercely, an intense passion rippling through his body and a strange satisfaction brimming in his heart.

            The fervid kiss lasted for several minutes, and when it ended and Aragorn and Legolas were both gasping for air, Aragorn felt an urgent hunger overwhelm him and he almost cried out at the pain of it.

             "So long have I wished for you to say those words," said Legolas, panting.  "And at last you have said them.  And at last I can tell you that my heart...has _always_ belonged to you."  Then he moved his lips to Aragorn's ear, _"Tye-mela'ne,"_ he whispered very softly._  I love you._

            Aragorn could hold himself back no longer, and he threw his arms around the elf, kissing him harder than he did before.  Legolas responded with the same vigor, and this time they could not bring themselves to stop.

            And Aragorn knew that this would be the most memorable night of his life.

**Author's Note**:  If you enjoy my writing, please check ou1t my website at www.airiviel.cjb.net and my group at groups.yahoo.com/group/AirivielFiction!


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